In 1947, Iva Dee Hyatt, legendary music director at Smith College, founded the Smith College Chamber Singers, an elite singing group open to Smithies at all grade levels. Today the Chamber Singers consist of twenty-five singers who are also involved in either the Glee Club or the College Chorus. Their repertoire consists not only of works from Renaissance, baroque and classical music but also folk songs, arrangements of popular music, and works by American composers. For the 2006-2007 year, the Chamber Singers are preparing for a spring tour of Italy.

Since their inception, the Chamber Singers have been winning praise and support both at home and abroad. In 1951, they were the first group from a women's college to tour Europe. They were also the first women ever allowed to perform in Canterbury Cathedral and St. Paul's Cathedral in England and Chartres Cathedral in France. In 1952, they gave a private concert for Pope Pius XII. Two years later, the Chamber Singers were the first college group to perform in such cities as Athens and Istanbul and also in the former country of Yugoslavia at a U.S. State Department reception for Marshal Tito. The Chamber Singers marked their place in choral music history in 1958 by becoming the first American choral group to capture first prize in competition at the international Musical Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales against 22 choirs from both sides of the Iron Curtain.

More recently, the Smith College Chamber Singers have completed tours of England, French Canada, Italy and Geneva. The 2000-2001 year was the Chamber Singers' 50th Anniversary Tour, and in 2003, the Chamber Singers travelled to Hawaii and Seattle. In 2006, the Chamber Singers also had the honor of being invited to perform at the first annual conference of the National Collegiate Choral Organization in San Antonio, Texas.